“Savage is one of the great American mysteries right now,” Gruden said Tuesday on a conference call. “At Rutgers, he lost his job and he left and went to Arizona. Rich Rodriguez brought the spread offense to Tucson and he left there and went to Pitt. He threw for just over 60 percent. He is a pocket passer. You can see he has a big arm.”

A former four-star recruit, Savage took over as Rutgers’ starter as a true freshman in the second game of the 2009 season. He threw for 2,732 yards, 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 16 games over two years but lost his job to Chas Dodd as he dealt with injuries as a sophomore.

Gruden, the former Super Bowl-winning head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, holds an annual renowned quarterback camp for ESPN leading up to the NFL Draft. Savage was not among the nine quarterbacks who took part this year.

“It is a limited body of work,” Gruden said. “He is a pocket passer with a strong arm. I’m sure some people have seen it and fell love with him because of that. There are not a lot of quarterbacks in college football that drop back and throw it anymore and Savage is clearly one of them.”

Chris Laviano was 0-for-9 with an interception in the Scarlet-White Game but remains in the hunt as Rutgers has not yet officially named a starting quarterback. (Mark Sullivan/MyCentralJersey.com)

When Rutgers football coach Kyle Flood said Saturday that Gary Nova would be the starting quarterback if the season began right now but that he is not yet ready to name a starter at the end of spring camp, the most common interpretation of his words was Nova has a nearly insurmountable lead in the three-horse race.

But Mike Bimonte and Chris Laviano – neither of whom has played a snap in their college careers while Nova has made 28 starts – more likely heard something along the lines of, “So you’re saying there’s a chance.”

Rutgers opens its season Aug. 28 at Washington State.

“Gary has played a lot of games,” Bimonte said. “I kind of expected that to be the case. But really my goal is to put myself in the best possible position going into training camp and then let it fly from there and let the coaches make that decision.”

Nova finished 6-of-13 for 78 yards in the Scarlet-White Game after throwing just one interception and completing about 68 percent of his passes in the first 14 spring practices, according to information given by the coach and senior-to-be.

Bimonte, who also is entering his fourth year though he will be eligible again in 2015 as a redshirt senior, went 5-for-11 for 55 yards. He started for Scarlet opposite Nova, who directed White to a 21-0 victory.

“Coming in together, obviously we spent a lot of time together,” Bimonte said of his relationship with Nova. “I think we both have the same vision as to where we want to be individually and as an offense. I don’t know if we measure against each other. It’s more measuring against the standard we want to be.”

Though he is only a rising redshirt freshman, Laviano widely was thought to be Nova’s biggest threat when the spring began. He showed flashes of playmaking but experienced plenty of growing pains, capped by going 0-for-9 with an interception in the spring game.

“I’m trying to get better but I’m also fighting for a job,” Laviano said prior to the game. “There is a lot of time until Washington State. In my eyes, getting better every day will take care of itself. Whoever is the best player is going to play.”

Rutgers men’s basketball made its first move of the spring signing period Monday when 6-foot-5 wing Ryan Johnson of New Hope Christian (N.C.) committed to head coach Eddie Jordan.

Though under the radar nationally, Johnson is described by PhenomHoopReport.com as “A hidden gem in the area. Consistent player with a high IQ.”

Johnson said via phone that he picked Rutgers over James Madison and UNC-Wilmington. He also considered Tennessee-Chattanooga and UNC-Asheville. He averaged 27 points per game this past season.

“I think I do a lot of things well,” Johnson said when asked to describe his game. “I score the ball pretty well, I pass the ball pretty well, I’m a team player, I’m motivated. I’ll do anything to win.” …continue reading →

PISCATAWAY — On the heels of the worst Rutgers men’s lacrosse season in 11 years, the team’s seniors formed the high goal of leaving the program in a better position than it was in when they entered it.

Rutgers redshirt senior midfielder Anthony Terranova makes a move on April 12 against Villanova at High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway. (PHOTO COURTESY OF RUTGERS ATHLETICS)

As it turns out, they were selling themselves short. Not only did Rutgers (8-7) eclipse the accomplishments of the last five seasons, it is headed to the postseason for the first time since 2004, the last year it reached eight wins.

“It’s hard to fathom even last year, when we were 2-13,” redshirt senior midfielder Anthony Terranova said. “It was just a dark time in the program’s history. It’s great to know that hopefully we turned that around with the help of all the underclassmen and can start getting some of the respect that other top teams are getting.”

Fourth-seeded Rutgers will face top-seeded Denver at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at Villanova University in the Big East Tournament semifinals. The winner advances to Saturday’s final where a NCAA Tournament berth – elusive to Rutgers since it dropped a first-round game at Princeton in 2004 when it was a member of the ECAC – will be on the line.

“The most important thing is using the momentum that we have and looking at it like a new season,” said redshirt senior attack Scott Klimchak, who scored one of his team-high 37 goals in a 17-11 loss to Denver. “We’re not going to worry about what Denver did to us earlier. It’s a fresh new start.”

The postseason essentially started last weekend for Rutgers, which needed to beat Georgetown for the first time in 17 all-time meetings to clinch its tournament berth and first winning regular-season record since 2007.

“When you start out in the fall … everything is to play in meaningful games at the end of the season, which we have with the big Georgetown game,” coach Brian Brecht said. “We have just what we wanted and what we’ve worked so hard for: To be one of the four seeds playing this upcoming weekend, and to catch lightning in a bottle and win two games in three days.”

Desmon Peoples had a great spring camp in 2013 and it only led to six touches in two games once the season rolled around.

The rising redshirt sophomore halfback another great camp this year and, while it remains to be seen how that translates come game time, he certainly upped his stock and saw the benefits of his decision to stay at Rutgers and wait for an opportunity.

Redshirt freshman defensive end Kemoko Turay gets to Mike Bimonte for one of his three sacks in the Scarlet-White Game. (Mark Sullivan/MyCentralJersey.com)

PISCATAWAY — Call it a chip on the shoulder or a sense of urgency or a mission to discredit critics, but don’t call the Rutgers football team unaware of its current situation.

Coming off a poor finish to a once-promising season, Rutgers did everything it could during the 15 practices of spring camp — from holding a headline-grabbing quarterback competition to full-scale promotion of its upcoming move to the Big Ten — to turn the page to a more promising chapter.

“We’re proud of the fact that we’ve gone to eight bowl games in nine years, but we also don’t see ourselves as a 6-6 team in the regular season,” coach Kyle Flood said. “Our expectation level is higher than that as a program. The players embrace that, and I think that’s a little bit of what you’re feeling.”

Even as the players disappear from the public spotlight until late July, Rutgers shouldn’t have any trouble continuing its momentum behind closed doors.

“I think there’s a big chip on our shoulder,” said senior defensive lineman David Milewski, winner of spring camp’s toughness award. “Going into the Big Ten, we’re trying to set a tone that we’re not a team that everyone is going to walk over.”

There were more than 500 programs and activities offered by campus organizations and departments Saturday at a record-breaking Rutgers Day. (Mark Sullivan/MyCentralJersey.com)

By Keith Sargeant

NEW BRUNSWICK — A record crowd of 84,000 people came out for the sixth annual Rutgers Day on Saturday, participating in more than 500 programs and activities offered by campus organizations and departments.

The festivities started at 10 a.m., as five rows of visitors lined up spots along College Avenue to watch a parade featuring performances by the university’s pep band, cheerleaders, dance team members and people dressed in costumes that illustrated the school’s nearly 250-year history. The parade marched its way to Voorhees Mall, where hundreds of tables were set up displaying educational exhibits and events.

“This is my first time coming to Rutgers Day,” said Mark Gallagher, a 1981 Rutgers College graduate from Middlesex, “but both my son and my nephew are now starting to look at colleges so what better way of showing them everything this school has to offer?”

That attitude is exactly what organizers hope to encourage, particularly in light of the state university’s expanded mission of medical education and transition into the Big Ten Conference.

Just past the steps outside Rutgers’ Old Queen campus was a red carpet, with actors portraying some of the famous figures in the school’s history, including Henry Rutgers, who told people all about the origin of the school in 1826.

“Queens College was struggling, and so I gave them a bond of $5,000. That $5,000 allowed Queens College — today Rutgers University — to survive,” said Richard Waddingham, the actor playing Henry Rutgers.“I gave a lot of money in my lifetime (and) can’t remember all the people and places I gave money, too. Never married, never had any children, so I knew my legacy would be my charity. Today most of the places I gave money to are gone, but Rutgers University is still standing, taller than ever in fact.’’

In 2009, Rutgers officials created this open-house event for alumni, prospective students and people in the Central Jersey community with one goal in mind, according to Linda Bassett, senior director of community affairs at the university:

Rutgers quarterback Gary Nova started spring practice as one of five co-starters but leaves it with the lead in the race to start the season-opener. (Mark Sullivan/MyCentralJersey.com)

PISCATAWAY — Gary Nova was the first Rutgers football quarterback to take the field Saturday, and if nothing drastic changes between now and then he will be first up again when the season begins.

Nova didn’t dazzle during the Scarlet-White Game but he continued to make smart decisions – all coach Kyle Flood really wants to see – and show that his level of game experience puts him head-and-shoulders above the two challengers for a job he once securely held but has been fighting to regain since Nov. 21.

“If we had to play today, Gary would be our starter,” said Flood, who benched Nova for the final three games of last season. “We’re not ready to name a starter just yet.”

Rutgers does not begin its inaugural Big Ten season for another 124 days – a fact not lost on Nova when the senior was asked about his reaction to being declared the leader in a race with rising redshirt junior Mike Bimonte and redshirt freshman Chris Laviano heading into training camp.

“The season doesn’t start today,” Nova said. “It’s good to see that he is seeing that I’m getting better. I’ve just got to continue to lead these guys, and when he makes his decision be ready to fill that role.”

Nova finished 6 of 13 for 78 yards with a rushing touchdown in White’s 21-0 victory in front of 11,500 at High Point Solutions Stadium, but his practice numbers are just as important at this time of year. Flood said Nova threw one interception all spring and Nova said he completed about 68 percent of passes.

“He’s protecting the football and I think his location has been good,” Flood said. “Do I think it could be better? I do. He still has room to improve. I’m very pleased with the progress. He is a better quarterback today than he was at the end of the season.”

To Nova’s credit, his latest improvements come after swallowing his pride when he opened camp as a co-starter with four others – none of whom ever had taken a college snap – in a move perhaps made to light a fire under a team captain whose career signature thus far includes fast starts and poor finishes.

In his own private way, Gary Nova honors his late friend Karl Walker every game.

But, on the four-year anniversary of Walker’s death, Nova wanted to take it one step further.

Rutgers senior quarterback wore No. 12 instead of his regular No. 10 in the Scarlet-White Game. Nova actually wore No. 15 during his first two seasons with the Scarlet Knights.

“It’s the last football game I’m going to play on April 26, so I figured what a way to honor him by wearing his number,” Nova said. “I couldn’t make it to the dinner they are having back home so I figured wear it and honor him that way.”

Nova wears a teal-colored armband every game that reads “KWalk 12” and “Swagger of a champion” in memory of Walker, who died of cancer on April 26, 2010. The Don Bosco High School graduate was two years younger than Walker as they grew up together in Elmwood Park.

“He was kind of like an older brother to me,” said Nova, who finished 6-of-13 passing for 78 yards with a rushing touchdown in the spring game. “He always had faith in me. He always told me I would do great things. I just wanted to honor him in my last spring game.”

Prospects are able to sign letters of intent beginning Wednesday. Per a new rule last season, college football programs are able to accept National Letters of Intent (NLIs) during an early signing period for three days in December. These NLIs are a binding commitment between school and individual. In 2018, this period begins Wednesday December […]

The former Scarlet Knight rushed for over 100 yards for the third time in his past five games Gus Edwards has paved an unlikely path from undrafted free agent to making the practice squad to becoming the starting running back for the Baltimore Ravens, all since this past April. After having a productive final season […]